The Federal High Court in Abuja has denied a request by former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, to travel outside the country for medical treatment, citing procedural lapses in his application.
Delivering the ruling on Monday, Justice Emeka Nwite stated that Bello failed to provide sufficient legal justification for the release of his international passport to facilitate the trip. Central to the court’s decision was a medical report presented by Bello’s legal team, which Justice Nwite dismissed as legally defective.
The report, marked as Exhibit B, was purportedly authored by a medical practitioner but lacked a signature—a fundamental requirement in legal proceedings. “An unsigned document, no matter how compelling, carries no weight in the eyes of the law,” the judge held. “Exhibit B is devoid of probative value and cannot be relied upon by this court.”
The court consequently ruled: “The defendant has failed to place sufficient materials before this court for his passport to be released for him to travel. Consequently, this application is hereby refused.”
Yahaya Bello, who is standing trial for allegedly laundering N80.2 billion belonging to Kogi State, had argued through his counsel, Joseph Daudu (SAN), that he suffers from long-standing hypertension and requires specialized care abroad. However, the court found that no verifiable evidence had been provided to substantiate the urgency or necessity of such travel.
Addressing other arguments raised during the hearing, Justice Nwite dismissed claims by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that Bello’s application constituted an abuse of court process. The judge clarified that since both the Federal High Court and the FCT High Court, where Bello is also facing charges, are courts of coordinate jurisdiction, filing the application in either court does not amount to duplicity or abuse.
On the issue of Bello’s sureties not being involved in the application, the court ruled that there was no legal requirement mandating the inclusion or notification of sureties in such a motion. “The prosecution failed to cite any relevant local or international law to support this claim,” the judge stated.
Justice Nwite reaffirmed that Bello had earlier been granted bail by both courts—on December 13, 2024, by the Federal High Court, and on December 19, 2024, by the FCT High Court—both of which stipulate that any international travel must receive prior court approval.
The trial continues on October 7 and 10, and again on November 10 and 11, 2025. Bello is facing a 19-count charge filed by the EFCC, with allegations of criminal breach of trust and money laundering involving the diversion of over N80 billion in public funds during his time as governor.
The case remains one of the highest-profile corruption trials in Nigeria’s recent history, drawing significant national attention and sparking broader discussions around accountability and due process in the country’s political class.
